Health literacy and behavioral model of Dhammanamai among village health volunteers in the Northern Thailand

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to explain the level of health literacy and health behavior, investigate relevant factors, predict factors, and construct the behavioral model of Dhammanamai among village health volunteers ( VHVs) in northern Thailand. The sample participants were 347 VHVs in Phayao Province, Thailand. They were selected by using the multi-stage random sampling technique. In this research, a questionnaire was used for collecting data that was administered from June-August 2021. Data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, independent-sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that both health literacy and health behaviors regarding Dhammanamai had an adequate level ( X" = 6 2 . 6 9, SD = 8.284; X" = 52.83, SD = 6.149) . The years of VHVs experience was significantly related to health literacy (p-value = 0.004) and the total components of health literacy on Dhammanamai were significantly related to health behavior (r=0.543). The behavioral model of Dhammanamai identified four independent variables that significantly influenced health behavior regarding Dhammanamai; health literacy (p-value < 0.001) age (p-value < 0.01) disease condition (p-value < 0. 05) and sex ( p-value < 0. 05). These affecting factors were taken to construct the health behavior regarding Dhammanamai and could predict model at 33.7%. The health behavior regarding Dhammanamai model is equal to constant (19.20) + HLD (0.417) + AGE (0.124) – DISEASE CONDITION (1.604) + SEX (1.774). The recommendation should be taken to establish a health literacy program regarding Dhammanamai among Village Health Volunteers in the same area study.